Convertible carriage



- June 12', 1928. E H. F. SHAW CONVERTIBLE CARRIAGE Filed Febl2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1% veuiar: HarroZcZ 1 fiaw,

June 12. 1928. 1,673,781

H. F. SHAW CONVERTIBLE CARRIAGE Filed Feb. 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 1 i W Patented June 12, 1928 UNITED STATES 1 ,673,781 PATEIN OFFICE.

HAROLD F. SHAW, OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO F. A. WHITNEY CARRIAGE COMPANY, OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAS- SACHUSETTS.

CONVERTIBLE CARRIAGE.

Application filed February 12,1925. Serial No. 8,707.

. The invention relates to childrens carriages and the purpose is to provide a vehicle of this nature having a convertible body comprising parts which can be related to one another in different ways for different uses.

Asa particular example of my inventionI have hereillustrated what may be called a reclining go-cart wherein the parts of the body in one relation provide. for supporting the child in a seated position and in the other for receiving him lying down. I further disclose certain advantageous mechanism for regulating the various parts.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the following description of the illustrative embodiment thereof shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the vehicle showing the parts related tosupport the child inseated position;

Fig. 2 is a similarview showing the parts of the body related toprovide for receiving the child lying down; and

Fig. 3 is'an'enlarged sectional detail along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the vehicle may embody any suitable form of wheeled under-frame 5 and maybe provided with a pusher 7 herein shown as constituted in part by'a continuation of the perches of the under-frame. Supported by the underframe is a main body section 9 which. provides a seat, conveniently facing forwardly away from the pusher 7. This body section 9 may include a bottom 11; side portions 13 conveniently, as shown in Fig. 2, constructed of wicker work secured to suitable frames and if desired upholstered on the inside as shown; and a back 15, which last is conveniently -pivoted adjacent the back of the seatto be adjusted in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 2,-this form of adjustable back notbeing novel in itself. Associated with the'body section- 9 is an auxiliary movable body section 17 which, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, may constitute a foot-well pivoted at19 to the front edge of the seat. This foot-well may beconstructed of wicker work secured over a suitable frame andcomprises a bottom portion 21 and side portions 23 which are preferably continuous or unbroken as illustrated. 7

The foot-well may be swung, upwardly about the pivot 19 to the position shown in Fig. 2 and, preferably, when the parts are in this position what were the upper edges of the sides in Fig. 1 will mate neatly withthe forward edges of the sides 13 of the body section, as shown in Fig. 2. .VVhat was the bottom portion 21 of the foot-Well will lie substantially in theplane of the seat 11 ofhinge 19 constitutes a continuation of the line of the seat 11 as viewed from the exterior and the upper edges of the sections v13 and 17 smoothly merge .one into the other without any abrupt break in contour. When, as described, the side sections 13 and 23 are of a uniform character, preferably substantially unbroken as showmand like one to the other, this provides, when the parts are in the position of Fig. 2, a basinlike body of pleasing appearance with side portions extending from the rear to the forward dash or cowl with the effect substantially of an unbroken whole and without any patchy appearance arising from the convert ible character of the parts. Furthermore, these side portions 13 and 23 closely mating provide substantially uninterrupted sides protecting the reclining child from drafts and without any openings through which the coverings of the child might protrude or through which it might thrust some of its limbs toits possible injury.

' Various suitable means might be provided for regulating the position. of the section 17. I have herein shown by way of example one suitable form of linkage which may be utilized. .Referring to Fig. 1, in the form of the invention shown an arm or link 25 maybe secured tothe bottom of the footwell section '17 and pivotally connected by the link 27 to the forward edge of the bottom 11 of the body section 9. This arrangement permits the foot-well section 17 to be the foot-well is l ifted to the position shown in Fig. 2 the toggle 2931 is brought to dead center or, as herein shown, slightly beyond deadcenter, and a suitable stop may be provided to prevent further breaking of the toggle. Herein, as best shown in Fig. 3 a

U-shaped clip 37 may be secured to the arm 29 of the toggle adjacent the pivot 33-and presenting the base of the U to the side of the link 31 prevents the toggle breaking further in a downward direction than is shown in Fig. 2. In the form ofthe' invention shown the pivot 33 in the position of Fig; 2 is moved slightly past dead center but obviously if it were just on dead center the foot-well would still be firmly supported as there would be no tendency to break the toggle. There would be merely a longitudinal thrust along the arms. A suitable spring 39 may be provided normally tending to push the'toggle past dead center when the foot-well is raised and to hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 but not, however, strong enough to operate the linkage by itself and to raise the foot-well.

In the construction just described when the parts are in the position of- Fig. 2, the

link 25 and the straightened toggle form a supporting truss and one arm of the truss is collapsed when the treadle 41 is depressed.

The arrangement shown is such that when the parts are in th'e'position of Fig. 1 the foot-well section 17 may be lifted freely by the hand and swung upwardly to the position of Fig. 17 without substantial impediment from the linkage and without the necessity of releasing any form of catch and when it reaches the elevated position it will be securely locked therein until intentionally released. To permit the foot-well to be dropped again the toggle 293'1 may be broken in the upward direction from the position shown in Fig. 2 and for this purpose the arm 29 may be extended past the pivot35 to provide a treadle 41 preferably presented adjacent the rear'of the vehicle adjacent the pusher handle 7. It will be obvious from Fig.1 2 that'a simple movement of the treadle 41 by foot or hand, in this instance a downward movement, will break the toggle upwardly against the force of the spring 39 permitting the stop 37 to separate from the link 31 and bringing the parts to the position shown in Fig. 1.

' The spring 39, besides serving to hold the disclosed in the drawings as'obviously the mechanical construction and the arrangement of the parts might be widely varied while preserving some or all of the advantages of the invention, a few of which have been referred to in a cursory manner in the novelty exemplified by the particular discourse of the description. The features of closure which I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent I shall define in the following claims.

Claims:

1.A carriage comprising a main body portion and a movable auxiliary portion, means for supporting the latter comprising a link connected thereto, a second-link pivotally connecting the first link to the body and a two part strut in the form of a toggle for one of said links, the breaking of the toggle releasing said auxiliary portion.

2. A carriage comprising a main body portion and a movable auxiliary portion,

means for supporting the latter comprising a link connected thereto, a second link pivotally connecting the first link to the body and a two part strut in the form of a toggle for one of said links, a spring normally stressing the toggle toward its straightened position wherein it serves as a truss, the breaking of the toggle releasing said auxiliary portion. v 'i 3. A carriage comprising a main body portion and a movable auxiliary portion, means for supporting the latter comprising a link connected thereto, a second link pivotally connecting the first link to theb ody, a two part strut in the form ofa toggle for one of. said links, one of the arms of the toggle being extended to provide a depressible operating portion for breaking the toggle to release said auxiliary portion of the vehicle and a spring tending to resist such breaking. l j

4. A carriage comprising a main body portion and a -movable auxiliary portion, means for supporting the latter comprising a link connected thereto, asecond link pivotally connecting the first link to the body and a two part strut inthe form of a toggle for one of said links, one'of the arms of the toggle being extended to provide an operating portion Which is depressible for breaking the toggle to release said auxiliary por tion of the vehicle.

5. A carriage comprising a main body portion and a movable auxiliary portion a truss for supporting the latter comprising an arm pivoted thereto and an arm pivoted to the main body and to said first arm, said second arm comprising a toggle having a stop, one of the links of the toggle being ex- 10 In testimony whereof, I have signed my 15 name to this specification.

HAROLD F. SHAW. 

